Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu (11 June 1993 – 29 May 2022), better known by his stage name Sidhu Moose Wala, was an Indian singer, rapper, actor and politician associated with Punjabi music and Punjabi cinema.
He started his career as a songwriter for the song “License” by Ninja, and began his singing career on a duet song titled “G Wagon”. Following his debut, he collaborated with Brown Boyz for various tracks which were released by Humble Music.
Moose Wala was known for his controversial lyrical style, often promoting gun cultures, while also challenging religious sentiments as was the case related to Mai Bhago, a revered figure in Sikhism.
He had faced legal challenges for promoting gun culture and using inflammatory and inciting lyrics in his songs. As of 2022, there were four ongoing criminal cases against him.
Moose Wala was a member of the Indian National Congress and unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election from Mansa. He was shot dead by unidentified assailants on 29 May 2022.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu hailed from the village of Moosa in Mansa district of Punjab, India. He was born in a Sikh family, to father Bhola Singh and mother Charan Kaur.
He studied at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, and graduated in electrical engineering in 2016. Moose Wala admired and was influenced by rapper Tupac Shakur.
He started listening to hip-hop music in the 6th grade and learned musical skills from Harvinder Bittu in Ludhiana. According to statements he made while campaigning, he chose “Moose Wala” for his stage name as a tribute to his home village of Moosa.
Sidhu Moose Wala’s mother, Charan Kaur, indicated that her son would soon marry and that it would be a love marriage. The singer was engaged and planning to marry soon. However, the name of Sidhu Moose Wala’s fiancée was not mentioned.
